Raffle for Christchurch

My very good friend, Pip, over at "Life, but not as you know it" is very generously running a raffle to help raise funds for the Christchurch Earthquake appeal.  She is an extremely talented knitter (something that I'm particularly envious of - because I can't do it!) and is raffling two gorgeous children's vests.

Pop on over and have a look.

Yellow is a happy colour

Now, isn't that the sweetest little bundle of fluff you ever did see?  I don't think you can see them all, because they tend to like sitting on each other's heads when they are startled, but there are ten which hatched from twelve that I had set in the incubator.  They are Pekin ducks from my own ducks who lay very well, but don't sit and hatch ducklings.  They also grow very fast and are ready for eating at eight weeks old. 

The best part of it, is that they are in their brooder in the new shed, NOT in my bathroom.  Because although they are cute, they also poop, and poop smells. 

There is another reason they can't be in the bathroom:

There is a window being installed!  This windowless dungeon has been very dark and dingy for the last few weeks as the builders took out the Clearlite roofing panel and put corrugated iron on instead in preparation for it one day having a ceiling.  But now it has a new lease of life (and a whole lotta sawdust) with this window.  The window is an old wooden one that has been sitting behind our shed, hence the grime and the broken pane.

There is also a floor going in in the last bay of the shed between the bathroom and the back door - no more stepping down dodgy steps onto dirt in the middle of the night.  What is more, is that that floor will one day be the floor of my sewing room!!

When nap time and motivation collide....

something actually got finished.  Well, the quilting bit got finished.  I started this quilt last year but folded it and put it away when I was half-way through quilting it.  I don't know why.  This year I made a resolution to try put a little work in on one UFO a week. 

I free motion quilted a large flower in the center, then surrounded it with a meandering vine.  There are leaf motifs on two of the fabrics so it ties in nicely (in my humble opinion!).  You can click on the pic to make it a bit bigger if you want.

In between the less exciting bits of life - the making of dinner, the folding of washing, and the doing of dishes - I'm getting organised for Quilt Symposium 2011.  I was lucky enough to get all three classes I requested and am just starting to get enthusiastic!  I'll be doing Celtic Cutwork with Yvonne Brown,  Pattern Play with Jane Sassaman, and Art Quilt - Line Dancing with Jeanette De Nicolis Meyer.  My requirements lists aren't long and I'm hiring a machine so I'm hoping to be well below my luggage limit - so I can bring some yummies back with me of course!

Tea Dying

This is a little bit of what I'm doing today.  I'm participating in a Round Robin at the moment and we're onto the first border around the central block.  It has to be three or three and a half inches wide, pieced and use only two main colours (and tones of) with a third colour at 10% maximum.  The theme is "What do you love to do in your local area?". 

I've been fiddling round with designs and think I'm finally happy.  My main colours are pink and green, which are the major colours used in my partner's central block.  But one of my pink fabrics is just a smidgen too pink.  I wanted it more a burgandy/brown pink.  So a little modification is in order.

There is nothing in this world that a good cup of tea can't fix!!  Tea dying has to be the most simple of procedures.  Make up a brew, dunk in your fabric, rinse when desired colour is reached.  If you want it more precise, do a little experiment with swatches of calico or your fabric you want to use: one teabag/250 mls water for 10 minutes; two teabags/250 mls water for 10 minutes; two teabags/250 mls water for 20 minutes......and so on.

Warning:  don't drink the tea once you've finished!

Welcome To My Life

I've had trouble finding words to write lately.  I think it's just a general tiredness that has infected my life lately and permeated into my blogging life too.  I dare say the Christchurch earthquake has something to do with it.  So to try and find my blogging mojo again I've decided to go back to how I originally envisioned this blog.  Just a little story about my little life.  Written for me, my family and my kids and anyone who's interested. 

When I started a web log I saw this as a good way to keep a diary, a diary with pictures!  My kids can look back at it one day and see what their life was like, what my life was like.  My family overseas can read it and keep current with what I'm up to.  And of course, anyone else who is interested can read along too. 

So in that spirit, I'm not going to worry about writing something fun or informative, or taking pictures of something beautiful, I'm just going to write about what I'm doing, right now, today.

Which is quilting.  I'm making bias strips for my applique panel in the centre of my big blue and white quilt.  It's the first time I've used bias press bars (borrowed from a friend - thanks!) and I like them.  Even my falling-apart iron can't stuff them up.  I bought a trestle table a little while ago and having that extra surface has allowed me to get rid of my clunky, annoying ironing board and just press my small bits on a old, folded towel.

Meanwhile, outside Hubby is building a deck.  What with having the shed extension and veranda finished he's got all enthusiastic - but who am I to complain?  It will get us up and out of the mud this winter.  Fantastic!

And what are the kids up to?  Nothing much.  Just playing in the mud, like all good kids should do.  They need to get in as much outdoor play as they can because the weather in changing, Autumn is on it's way.